


You Never See Me

by Snittycakez



Category: Now You See Me (2013)
Genre: Gen, POV Original Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-08-12
Packaged: 2017-12-15 13:57:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snittycakez/pseuds/Snittycakez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The funny thing about magic and magicians is that people focus on solely those two aspects. The magic or the magician. They often forget the one behind the curtain. The magician is there to distract from what happens backstage. The one backstage is there to make sure that people are looking at the magician as closely as they can.  Because the closer they look, the less they will actually see. And they never see me.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Like Clockwork

**Author's Note:**

> So, second fic in motion, this does have an OC, however I will do my absolute hardest to ensure that she never becomes a Mary Sue. That would be tragic. And then I'd have to kill her off. Her name isn't Ebony Darkness Dementia Raven Way, so that's a good start. This is also a very short chapter, just to test the waters so to speak.

The funny thing about magic and magicians is that people focus on solely those two aspects. The magic or the magician. They often forget the one behind the curtain, the one who makes everything run smoothly while the showman is under the spotlight. But there cannot be one without the other. The magician is there to distract from what happens backstage. The person backstage is there to make sure that people are looking at the magician as closely as they can. Because the closer they look, the less they will actually see. And they _never_ see me.

"Ladies and gentleman, we are the Four Horsemen! Thank you, and goodnight!"

Harper grins to herself as she hears Henley and Daniel recite their closing words. _Like clockwork,_ she muses. She dials up the ending theme over the loudspeakers surrounding the theatre and dims the stage lights signifying to the audience that the show is over. Taking off her headset, she lowers herself from her "lookout" spot backstage, jumping off of the scrawny platform and landing on a strategically placed beanbag cushion.

Knowing that time is of the essence when it comes to magic shows, she quickly packs up her sound and lighting equipment, making sure not to leave behind the card that the Eye had given her. While normally she doesn't carry her card while out and about, Harper felt that tonights show was an exception. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to have a little luck on their side for tonight. After all, it's not every day that you get to be a part of the most sold out magic show in Las Vegas.

Having collected everything she had brought with her, Harper grabbed her cardigan off the busted light fixture that the maintenance crew still hadn't thrown out and headed for the back exit. She spotted the others at the end of the alley, having waited for her since she had more to lug around. Though she was loathe to admit it, she appreciated that they waited for her after the shows. It made her feel more a part of the act and not just the technician backstage.

"Hey there, Batgirl!" Merritt greeted her. He had taken to calling her that when after a particularly long show, Jack had asked her how she was never seen by the audience for the twentieth time and she had snapped, "Because I'm the fucking Batman!" and then then covered her head with her black sweater, looking suspiciously similar to the caped crusader. Merritt, having an unusual sense of humor, liked to remind her of that as often as he could.

"S'up Grandpa?" At least two can play that game.

"Nothing much Shortstack." Daniel intervened before the name game could escalate in any explicit name calling."So, how about italian?"

After they had been seated at the restaraunt, they began talking about how they should stump the audience at their next show. "Well, Harper and I were thinking that we could do something with that bubble trick you showed us yesterday." Henley began. "She can do that hologram projection into the bubble to make it look like I'm floating in it. You just need to make it large enough."

Daniel looked unconvinced. "No offense Harper, but I'd rather not rely on a computer generated image to highlight my show. But thanks anyway."

While Daniel was a very gifted illusionist and a great seducer of women (or so he claims) Harper got the feeling that he didn't like her very much. Maybe it was because he couldn't understand how someone could be content with being in the shadows all the time. Harper found it very convenient, especially when it came time to go grocery shopping. She'd seen how annoying a trail of fans was when you were trying to buy tampons, courtesy of Henley. From then on, she had done all the shopping.

"Well, I think it would be great. Stop being so cynical, you always are……." She lost track of the conversation once Henley and Daniel started at it.Choosing to instead focus on the large portion of shrimp fettecini alfredo that had just been placed in front of her, she dug in, suddenly realizing how hungry she actually was.

She hadn't meant to fall asleep at the restaurant table, but the next thing she knew, she was being carried towards the silver car that always seemed to be parked wherever they needed it. _S'just like magic…,_ She thought to herself as her eyelids grew heavy once more and she let herself drift away in dreams filled with empty bank vaults and blank playing cards.


	2. Interrogations and Intrigue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Coffe runs and police arrests are great for Saturday mornings.

_Ugh_ , Harper mentally groaned as the sun's heated rays pulled her into wakefulness from where she had burrowed into a snug cocoon of blankets. _Why do you shine so damn bright in the morning?!_ However, her morning mentality did a complete turnaround when she smelled the seductive aroma of breakfast foods emitting from the hotel's mini kitchen. Still too tired to bother with opening her eyes, she literally rolled out of the bed and onto the floor with a louder thud than she had expected.

Running footsteps drummed on the stairs to her room and the door slammed open to reveal a slightly disheveled Jack Wilder who looked about ready to kick ass. Which scared the hell out of her. She'd seen the boy fight, and knew enough that you didn't mess with someone who could kill you with a pack of cards.

"Harper! Are you okay?" The normally chill sleight questioned as his eyes roved around the room, all the while firing questions faster than she could answer. "What was that noise? Was someone in here? What happened?"

Majorly confused as to why he was so riled (normally Daniel's the paranoid one) she rubbed her eyes and grumbled, "There's no one here Jack, good God are you trying to scare me to death." She tried to glare at him from under her bangs but judging from the lopsided grin on his face it wasn't nearly as intimidating as usual. Giving up on that tactic, she chucked a pillow at him, missing fantastically. Grinning even wider, Jack cocked an eyebrow as if to say "Really?" before scooting out of the door when she threatened him with an imaginative array of bodily harm. He poked his head through the door before she could slam it. "Don't blame me when Merritt eats all the bacon!"

"I'll kick his ass if he does, you tell him that!" Harper huffed when he finally left. Shrugging out of the clothes she had worn the previous night and running her fingers through her thick head of hair, she tugged on leggings and her trademark oversized sweater before exiting the room. Fortunately for her, the bacon was still there. Snatching a plate from the counter, Harper proceeded to load it with toast, bacon, and fruit. She made her way through the lounging area and plopped down beside a still yawning Henley.

"G'morning sunshine." She smirked at Henley who managed to scowl with one eye still closed. "Had a late night, did we?" Henley poked her with a toe from her end of the couch. "None of your business. God, how do you eat so much in the morning?" Harper looked up, cheeks bulging with toast. "Mmhrrmm mm hurrrm." Henley rolled her eyes. "Chew and swallow, please." Harper obliged before grinning at Jack who was reclined in a chair, practicing card tricks. "Because I don't have to fit into those itty bitty bathing suits." Jack chuckled at that, as Henley rolled her eyes again saying, "Whatever. I'm gonna go for coffee."

Harper perked up at that. "Get me a caramel frap, would ya?"

Jack called after her, "And a cinnamon cappuccino!"

"MAKE MINE A DOUBLE ESPRESSO!" Merritt shouted from upstairs.

Rubbing her forehead, Henley rose from the sofa and muttered something that sounded like, "Get your own damn coffee.." before trudging up the stairs to change. Merritt took her place just as Harper had gotten up to put her plate in the sink. He swung his feet up, pretty as you please, ignoring her grumbling and buried his nose in a beaten up paperback.She offered a good morning to Daniel as she passed him, but he continued to stare broodingly out the huge glass windows that lined the hotel pad. "Well, fuck you too," she muttered, dumping her dishes in the sink when she heard the door being slammed open and a voice shout, "Police! Put up your hands!"

She sighed. Of course. And it had looked like such a great morning.

* * *

 

Fifty one…..fifty two….fifty three…..fifty four tiles on the ceiling of the interrogation room that she had been shoved in.

She sighed and rested her forehead on the cool metal of the desk in front of her. Just hurry it up already, she thought. As if controlled by her thoughts, the door opened, and in stepped a scruffy albeit attractive, FBI officer and a harried looking woman who shot him a dirty look when he slapped Harper's paperwork on the table like a toddler with a tantrum. He must really not want to be here. _Well, that makes two of us buddy_. She smirked up at the man who seated himself across from her and began to drum his fingers on the table.

_Jesus H.Christ_ , Rhodes thought when the girl looked up from where she was shackled to the table top. _She can't be more than 18._ He began by seeing how she dealt with pressure, tapping on the desk and maintaining eye contact. To his surprise, the kid was able to look right back, even smirking in defiance the longer he glared.

"What's your part in this circus act?" His question was met with silence.

"Okay, let's start with something easy. How old are you?"

More silence.

To his right, Alma was taking note of the girl's appearance. Hazel eyes peered out from under messy dark bangs, hair pulled back into a short tuft of a ponytail. Freckles dusted her tanned skin, giving her a slightly exotic appearance and though the young woman was sitting down, Alma could tell that she wasn't very tall. She supposed she should intervene. Rhodes was becoming increasingly frustrated and she worried that he would start punching one of these magicians if they didn't give him **something**.

"You were in an orphanage?" The girl's eyes darkened at that but she kept her silence. "You were nine." Alma kept reading from her file, hoping for a reaction. "It says here that you ran away more than once. Even got as far as Virginia before authorities found you in an abandoned theatre, hmm….interesting hiding place." She shot a glance at Rhodes but the gruff man kept up his bad cop persona and was back to having a staring contest with their suspect. "It says that your parents were ki-"

She was cut off when the girl stood up abruptly, knocking her chair to the floor. Her words were uttered from between clenched teeth. "I don't need you to read my life to me." She remained standing as Alma retrieved the paper and replaced it in the file."Fine." Alma said "I won't read your life to you, if you will explain to me how your friends succeeded in robbing a heavily guard parisian bank while in Nevada." The girls eyes darted from her to Rhodes before sighing and picking up her chair.

Re-seated, she leaned forward and in a rushed voice said, "Fine, I'll tell you how they did it. But you gotta promise me that they'll never know it was me who told you!" Rhodes quirked an eyebrow at her sudden cooperation but nodded. "Agreed. Now, how'd they do it?"

The young woman leaned in even closer, her face serious and whispered, "They did it with……. ** _magic_**."

Now it was Rhodes' turn to knock his chair over.He grabbed her wrist and was about to demand that she take this seriously when suddenly the room rippled, and the floor shifted so that he fell back on the floor in astonishment. Alma stood, a hand on her concealed weapon, eyes trained on the girl, waiting for any sudden movements.

Outside the interrogation room.

"What the HELL was that?!" Rhodes asked, outraged at being knocked on his ass by a girl half his size. Alma looked at him, amused at his expense and stated, "I think they called it magic Mr. Rhodes." He scowled at her before opening the door to the next suspect. Hardy har har.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to those who left kudos :) ya'll rock my socks.


	3. They Call It Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Planes, trains, and Daniel can be a dick sometimes.

Alma looked at him, amused at his expense and stated, "I think they called it magic Mr. Rhodes." He scowled at her before opening the door to the next suspect. Hardy har har.

 

The plane soared high above the earth, the tips of it's wings nudging clouds out of its way. Golden rays of sunlight shone on the horizon and glinted off of the window to which Harper had her face pressed against. 

Across from her, Jack was doing the same thing. 

Merritt chuckled at the two teen's fascination with the view from their seats. "What's up with you two? You'd think you'd never been in a plane before." He smirked at Henley who smiled and shook her head at the pair. Still gazing out the window, they answered, "I haven't."in unison, before turning to each other and exclaiming at the same time, "You too?!" 

Harper laughed aloud at that, "I thought it was just me!" Jack shook his head. "Nah, before the Horsemen, I hadn't ever left New York!" Harper looked at him incredulously. "For real?" He shrugged turning to look out the window once more. "I never needed to." 

"Huh." She joined him in cloud watching once more. "I thought everybody flew in planes." 

Jack turned to her, confused."You haven't either." 

"……….Oh yeah."

"Hey, would you two stop birdwatching and get with the program?" Daniel frowned down at them. "We land in New Orleans in two hours and I'd like to go through the show one more time.And, Harper, we need to tal….." He trailed off, his eyes staring past their seats, at Merritt and Henley who looked…….cozy. Harper looked from the dumbstruck Daniel to the two….cozy people….and back to Daniel. "Well, Danny boy." She said. "At least you've still got your hair." Daniel looked at the young techie, an incredulous look on his face. "Or have you lost that as well?" She heard Jack snort into his cup of water and barely managed to maintain her facade of polite disinterest. Daniel scowled and tried to shove past the seat when Jack grabbed his sweater sleeve. 

"Hey, can we talk about my part in the show-"

Daniel shrugged him off. "Sure, in a second Jack." He walked away, Harper sticking her tongue out at him hoping to tempt a laugh out of Jack. When that didn't work, she sat in the seat newt to him and watched as he flipped through the deck of cards that he always seemed to have on his person. They sat like this for a while, both lost in a maze of their own thoughts. 

Jack peeked at the girl dozing next to him. He had heard a bit about her history while in the interrogation rooms of the FBI. The French lady had read Harper's file to him, trying to find out more about the girl's past. Apparently her birth certificate had been left unfinished, no date of birth, no full name, nothing but her weight, height and the cover page of To Kill a Mockingbird. Hence the name, Harper Lee. Though the lady (Alma, he remembered) wouldn't give him all the details, he could roughly piece together that Harper had been abandoned and placed in foster care. Just like him, he thought, looking back at the girl who was now sound asleep and drooling a bit on the shoulder of his leather jacket. Oh well, he mused, at least she can sleep. As for himself, he was still plagued by nightmares of his experiences in the foster care system. Of dark closeted rooms, and narrow hallways, walls covered in pictures of a family that he did not belong to. But that's over. Now, he has friends. 

And maybe, with time, they could be a family. 

 

Harper's thoughts were definitely not as somber as Jack's, though they did border on the strange. She dreamt of her first glimpses of the people she would soon call companions, and later, friends. One late night, they had all traded the stories of how they had each received their individual Taro cards. Harper had choked on her soda when Henley related how she had escaped glass box swarming with piranhas. She had laughed at Merritt's tale of the unfaithful husband and how Jack had stolen that guy's wallet while Daniel frowned in disapproval. Funnily enough, when it was his turn, Daniel had been rather reluctant to share the details. Her own discovery of her card had been magnanimously less interesting then the others. She had nearly bitten a bit of it off when she found it in between the fillings of her tasteless turkey club during lunch break. 

Working as a light and sound technician for the local theatre had been just a way to pay for the necessities. Now that she had been offered an escape from the mundane activities of normal existence, her very own golden ticket to a life of excitement and thrills, she had packed up her equipment and hightailed it to New York. There, it had been one scare after another. Being a small town kind of girl, the pomp and flash of the big city had unnerved her, and she had to ask at least twelve people before she found the old building that the address on the card had lead to. She had just set foot in the entryway when a gloved hand grasped her wrist and pulled her through the door as it slammed shut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone who reads this! I appreciate it :)

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think of the concept and character if'n you don't mind.


End file.
